• Pedestrians comprise around one quarter of the annual global road deaths. Due to a lack of attention to their needs, and a tendency in recent decades to favour private motorized transport, pedestrians are today at an increased risk of death, injury and disability. Many of those killed are children and older people. The majority of fatalities occur in low-income and middle-income countries, settings where rapid motorization poses additional challenges; however, pedestrian safety remains a concern in countries worldwide.

• Much can be done to make our world more walkable, by providing safe, reliable and accessible facilities for all pedestrians. There is no single measure to adequately address the range of risks to pedestrians across various settings. Some of the most effective are managing

vehicle speeds; separating pedestrians from other traffic by sidewalks and crosswalks; increasing the visibility of pedestrians; and ensuring the responsible behaviour of all road users. Enacting appropriate laws around such measures, enhancing enforcement and ensuring links with other modes of transport can save lives.

• Guaranteeing the safety of pedestrians will encourage walking which improves health. Walking reduces the risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, cancer, dementia, depression and obesity. As travel by motor vehicles is reduced, there are also declines in air and noise pollution, which also positively impact on health. Walking can make us healthier, fitter and leaner, and should become the safest and most convenient and pleasant option for most trips.

Second UN Global Road Safety WeekPedestrian Safety6 –12 May 2013

The Second UN Global Road Safety Week, to be held 6 – 12 May 2013, offers

a unique opportunity to draw attention to the issue of pedestrian safety. We are

all pedestrians: on any given day, we choose to walk to and from our various

destinations or – at a minimum – we begin and end most trips on foot. Walking

requires no fare, no fuel, no license and no registration. It is integral to the

liveability of our communities.

Key messages:

Contact Ms Laura Sminkey, Communications Officer Email: sminkeyl@who.int Tel: +41 22 791 4547

www.who.int/roadsafety/week

• Plan, host and register your event

Governments, international agencies, civil society organizations, and private companies are encouraged to plan, host and register events to mark the Week. Events registered through the Week’s global web site will be listed in the “activities around the world” section to inform and inspire others and facilitate coordination of events in the same country or city. http://www.who.int/roadsafety/week/2013/

event_registration/en/index.html

• Advertise the Week Make use of the materials currently available on the Week’s global web site, including the promotional flyer, to help advertise the Week and make sure it is on the calendars of all relevant stakeholders. http://www.who.int/roadsafety/

week/2013/en/index.html

• Enter the slogan contest Share your creative idea for a slogan to help promote the messages of the Week – a short, memorable phrase to capture the essence of the initiative, rally support and inspire action. http://www.who.int/roadsafety/

week/2013/slogan_form/en/index.html

• Associate the events you are planning with the Decade of Action for Road Safety 2011-2020 The Week is a key milestone in the Decade. Governments and nongovernmental organizations are encouraged to use the Decade’s symbol – the road safety tag – to brand the events and materials you are preparing for the Week. http://www.roadsafetyfund.org/

TagSymbol/Pages/TermsofUse.aspx

How to get involved: